Automatic cut-off for pneumatic-despatch-tube systems.



F. H. WOLEVERB AUTOMATIO OUT-OFF r011 PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1908. 929,909.

Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

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P. H. WOLEVER.

AUTOMATIC GUT-OFF FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBB'SYSTEMS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 9,1908.

929,909. Patented Aug. 3, 1909.

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' branches "I'QAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ILLINOIS PNEUMATIC ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

il'o. of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 9, 1998.

T all "whom may comer;

1; own that l, Fen n: rtoronviin, a citizen of the U states, resident of nicago, in the county of Cool; and

State 0 11015, have invented certain new 1 .J, h ane movements 111 Automatic Cut- Offs for Pneumatic-Despatoll-Tube Systems; and no hereby declare that the l'ellowing 1s if 1 i .1 a l anu. exact desci tion thereof, '19 had to the accomn -nying speciucation.

'llis i1 vention relates to improvements in sending devices for pneumatic desna;ch tube systems, and refers more spec valve and operating device tliei angcd t close one part oi the other in a manner to varv tube on one side the other side h -o p of eear of the valve out o; commu- 1 the current inducin" means,

nication witl g L .1 7 ,l i 1 so that the PI'nSSllT-J in that part ol the to ,-e o onus cut on horn the c1 c it inducing means will he reduced and thereby avoid cartriuges cor ind within the despatch tube in rear of said valve clashing with cartridges entering said tube through the i31 ncl. or opening associated with the val e. in other words, the mechanism herein shown constitutes an air shunting device which is a "ranged to increase the velocity the air in the sending branch through vhich the co 'tridge is introc'uced to the tube relatively to the velocity of air in the tube in of the valve mechanism so as to insure the delivery such cartridges to the tube w thout danger of clashing thereof with cartrid s already in the tube and in re r thereof.

My improvements are herein shown as ernbodied 1n a vacuum or low pressure system;

Eatented Aug. 8, 1909.

Serial No. 425.

nal axial view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

line of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is horizontal sec '3' *1, taken on line 55 of Fig. 2. 6 is a horizontal section, tal n on line 6-6 of Fig. 2 Fig. 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of a despatch t "be and receiring branch, show ing modified form my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 8 is a vertical section, taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section, taken on line 9 of Fig. 7.

As shown in the drawings, designates the main trunk line of desratch tube systr n1 arranged to extend from the several saltsmens stations to a cashiens station, and 17 desiunatcs a sending bramh provided its I a with a son ing box 18 oi any suitvle form. The said branch is oineri to the cesp teh tube through the medium of a function fitting 19 which may be male of cast metal and is she vn as coinrosed of two halves or sections bolted together at their central line of 'unction.

Located within the 'unction fitting 19, or it may be located in the tube itself, and in rear of the sending ranch 17, with respect to the direction of passage of the cartridges through the line, is valve 22 which is pivotaliy mounted on a transverse rock shaft- 23, shown as located below the oath of the can tridges. As herein shown, the SQ '.'11'OCl :Sll :tft is mounted in the upper par of the side walls of a chambe 1 or be V which is fitted a1 d attached to the under side of the ionstion fitting. The said b r; is open at its upper side and its at its ins-r ins against the lower side of the junction fitting around an opening therein, whereby it is in co1nn1unication with the tube. The parts are fastened together by bolts or screws 26, 26 extending through overlapping lugs 27, ol' the be and junction fitting. The upper margins of the side walls of the box are provided with lugs 29, 29 in which the ends of the rock shaft are mounted, and said lugs fit in sockets formed in the inner faces of the side walls of the junction fitting, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the shaft does not extend through the wells of the fitting and no provision is re quired to provide air tight oints for the shaft to prevent the leakage of air into the system at these points.

The valve normally occupies a horizontal position, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, below the path of the cartridge. Means are provided which operate to swing the valve in a vertical position across the bore of the fitting, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, at a time when a cartridge is placed in the sending box 18 of the branch 17, so as out off the part of the tube in rear of said valve from the vacuum or current inducing means. Said valve is a balanced valve, it being provided on the remote side of its pivot with a pneumatically controlled balancing wing 32 which is sub ected to the same wessure as the valve proper. The balancing wing of the valve swings downwardly into the be); when the valve is swung into its vertical or closing position. Said win lies horizontal when the valve is open in a plane slightly lower than the plane of the valve, as herein shown. The balancing wing 32 is made relatively longer than the valve so as to counterbalance the force of the air current passing through the tube when the valve is swung upwardly to its closing position.

In order to prevent a cartridge dropping into the upper end or" the box 25, should the cartrid e be forced to this point at a time when the valve is in its closing position, i provide horizontal bridge bars 35, 35 which extend from the rear wall of the said box, at its upper margin, toward the valve, said bridge bars being in position to support the forward end of a cartridge which may reach this point.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the valve is pneumatically operated both to open and close the same. I have herein shown one form of pneumatically operated mechanism for effecting the opening and closing of the valve which is made as follows: 40 designates a cylinder which extends upwardly into the box 25 from. the lower side thereof and is fitted with an air tight joint between the same and said box. Said cylinder is open at its lower end to the atmosphere and communicates at its upper end with the valve. It contains a piston 41 which reciprocates therein and is connected by a link 42 with the valve 21'. Said link is pivotally connected at its lower end with the piston through the medium of a pivot pin 48 eX- tending through lugs on the upper end of the piston, and is likewise connected with the lower side of the valve through the medium of a pivot pin 44 affixed to the lugs on the lower face of the valve. Located below and in axial alinement with the cylinder 40 is a larger cylinder 46 which is open at its upper end and is closed at its lower end by a wall 4'7. Said cylinder is herein shown as carried by and suspended from the smaller cylinder by hangers 48. Contained in the larger cylinder is a piston 50 which is connected with the smaller piston 41 by a connecting rod 51. The smaller piston 41 is provided with a depending marginal flange 53 which engages a packing contained. in an annular groove 54 at the lower end of the smaller cylinder, formed as herein shown, by turning the lower end margins of the cylinder wall inwardly. l3 hen said piston 41 is in its lowermost position an air tight joint is provided bet-ween the piston and cylinder which pre- The valve actuating mechanism is con trolled to close the valve by devices which are operated by the opening of the sending box 18, or otherwise introducing a cartridge into the system. Said valve may be operated by hand. The controlling devices for the valve actuating mechanism herein shown is made as follows: The larger cylinder 46 is connected, beneath the piston 50 therein, with the sending branchor its sending box by a small pipe l l'hen the sending box is closed, therefore, the lower side of the larger piston 50 is subjected to the lower pressure of the system, while the upper side thereof is subjected to atmospheric pressure. 'l he upper side of the smaller piston 41 is also subjected to the lower pressure of the system, while the lower side is subjected to at mospheric pressure. By reason, however, of the dil'lerential areas of the pistons 50 and 41, the lower pressure acting on the lower side of the larger piston 51 serves to hold the piston in its lowermost position and thereby to hold the valve open. "3: hen, however, the sending gate of the branch 1'? is opened, the vacuum is broken, or atmospheric pressure established, in said pipe 60 so that the pressure on both sides of the larger piston is equalized, Atmospheric pressure acting on the lower side of the smaller piston, however, is greater than the pressure acting on the upper side of the piston, which is the normal pressure of the system. 'lherefore, when the pipe 60 is open to the atmosphere the atmospheric pressure acting on the lower side of the smaller piston raises said piston in the cylinder and swings the valve to its closed position, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. After the cartridge has been delivered from the branch to the trunk line 15, the sending box is closed and the lower pressure of the system is again established in the pipe 60 and on the lower side of the larger piston 51. At this time atmospheric pressure acts on the upper side of said larger piston and the lower side of the smaller piston against the lower pressure of the system acting on the other sides of the pistons; but by reason of the greater area of the lower or larger piston, the higher pressure on the lower piston overcomes that act ng on the upper piston and moves said pistons downwardly to open the valve.

The balancingwing oi the valve is adapted to engage, when the valve is in its closed nosition, a seat which lies against the cy der ll and extends from side to side of the box 25, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. Said seat may be made of a yielding material to constitute a buffer to yieldingly arrest the movement of the valve. The lace of said seat engaged by the wing has an area substantially equal to the area added to the wing to counterbalance the force of the air current. li hen the valve is in its closed position, therefore, part of its area equal to the area of the contacting space of the seat is cut oil l'rom the influence oi the lower pressure and the effective areas of the valve and wing subjected to the pressures on both sides of the valve and wing are equalized. ihere'l'ore, when the valve is closed, balanced. The balancing of the valve has the important advantage of enabling the valve to be quicl-ily moved from its closed position when the lower pressure is again reestablished in the lower end of the larger cylinder 46, as compared to a valve which is not balanced, thus shortening: the period to close the valve and to reestablish the working pressure throughout the systen A butler 7 is provided against which the valve strilzes when it is moved to its open position, said bufier being herein shown as mounted on a lug 71 extending inwardly from the upper end of the casing or box in position to engage the fr e end of the valve, as best shown in Fig. 2.

in Figs. 7, S and 9 l have shown a construction wherein the valve 22 is closed by air pressure when the pipe is open to the atmosphere, and is swung to its horizontal or open position by spring pressure. As shown in said figures, 7 designates cylinder which is in open communication at its upper end with the tube and is closed at its lower end by an end wall '75 through which the air pipe enters for communication with the lower end of said cylinder below the piston 76 thereof. The said cylinder closely within a cylindric casing 7? that tends upwardly through an openin bottom wall of the box 25 and iits tightly in said opening. Said piston '76 is connected with the valve by a linl: 78 which is pivotally connected with the cylinder in a m anner similar to t re construction before described. The piston is moved upwardly to swing the valve in its closed position, as indicated in dotted lines, by atmospheric pressure entering the lower end of the cylinder through the pipe 60 at a time when said pipe is opened, as when the sending box is opened action of the closing springs 80, 80 which, when the lower pressure is reestablished in the pipe and in the lower end of the cylinde', returns the piston and valve to their normal lowermost positions to open the valve. {he said sprii 80, l have the to n oi spiral, expansively acting springs ich are interposed l etween the upper end of the pi "on 76 and lugs 81, 81 extending inwardly from the upper end of the cylinder casing 77. Said springs are held in place by means of rods 82, 82 extending therethrough, said rods being attached at their lower ends to the piston and sliding their upper ends through guide apertures in said lugs. i i hen the piston moves upwardly to close the valve 22 it compresses the s ri s l n between the piston and the hand when lower pressure is reestablished in the lower end oi the cylinder the swings act on the piston to quickly turn the valve to its horizontal or open position.

i'he sending box is herein shown as provided with hinged sending gate like that shown in my prior application before mentioned. The said gate, whether of the construction here shown or of other construction, is preferably equipped with means for slowly cutting off admission of air to the branch after a cartridge has been inserted thereinto, in order to insure the complete elivery oi the cartridge to the despatch ube. For this purpose said gate may be provided with a checl: valve similar to that shown in my aforesaid application.

I claim my invention l. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a despatch tube provided with a terminal to receive a cartridge, of an air valve adapted to close the tube in rear of said terminal and arranged to be pneumatically balanced, when closed, and means operating to close the valve upon the opening oi said terminal.

2. in a eumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a despatch tube provided with a terminal to receive a cartr" and a gate for normally closing said tern oi an air valve adapted to close the tube in rear oi said terminal and arranged. to be pneumatically balanced, when closed, and pneumatic means operating, upon insertion of a cartridge into the terminal, to close said valve.

3. in a pneumatic despatch tube system the combination with a despatch tube and its sendin terminal, oi an air valve 'l'or closing the tune, chamber one side of and communicating with said tube, said valv being provided *ith a wing which, when the valve is closed, occupies said chamber and is arranged to pneumatically balance the valve, and means for operating said valve for the admission of a cartridge. Said piston upon the opening oi said terminal.

is moved upwardly at this time against the i. In a pneumatic despatch tube system,

the combination with a despatch tube and its sending terminal provided with a gate, of an air valve arranged to close the tube in rear of said terminal, a chamber located at the side of and in communication with said tube, said valve being provided with a balancing wing which, when the valve is in its closed position, occupies said chamber and is arranged to pneumatically balance the valve and pneumatic means for operating said valve by the opening and closing of said gate.

5. In a pneumatic despatch system, the combination with a main tube, and its sending branch or opening of an air valve arranged to close the tube in rear of said air branch or opening and provided with a balancing wing, a chamber located inside of and in communication with. said tube to receive the balancing wing when the valve is in its closing position, and means for operating said valve, said balancing wing being made of greater area than the valve to counterbalance the force of the air current acting against the valve when it is being closed.

6. In a pneumatic despatch system, the combination with a main tube and its sending branch or opening, of an air valve arranged to close the tube in rear of said branch or opening and provided with a balancing wing, a chamber located at the side of and in communication with said tube to receive the balancing wing when the valve is in its closing position, and means for operating said valve, said balancing wing being made of greater area than the valve to counterbalance the force of the air current acting against the valve when it is being closed, and a seat in said chamber which said wing engages when the valve is in its closing position, operating to decrease the eiiective area of the balancing wing.

7. In a pneumatic despatch tube system the combination with a main tube and its sending terminal, of an air valve located in rear of said terminal, and means controlled by the opening and closing of said terminal, acting in opposite directions to positively open and close said valve.

8. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a main tube and its sending terminal provided with a sending gate, of an air valve located in rear of said sending terminal, and pneumatically operated means, controlled by the opening and closing of said. gate, acting in opposite directions to positively open and close said valve.

9. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a main tube and its sending branch or opening, of an air valve for closing the tube in rear of said branch or opening comprising two pistons of differential areas operatively connected with said valve, and cylinders in which said pistons are contained.

10. In pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a main tube and its sending branch or opening, of an air valve for closing the tube in rear of said branch or opening comprising two pistons of differential areas operatively connected with said valve, and cylinders in which said pistons are contained, each of said. cylinders being subjected at one end to the operating pressure of the system and being subjected at its other end to atmospheric pressure.

11. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a main tube and its sending branches or openings, of air valves associated with said branches or openings, each arranged when closed, to retard the velocity of the air in the tube in rear of the same and to thereby accelerate the velocity of the air through its branch to the tube, and means for operating the valves upon the insertion of cartridges in the system comprising two pistons of differential areas associated with each valve and cylinders in which said pistons are contained.

12. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a main tube and its sending branches or openings, provided with sending gates, of air valves associated with said branches, each arranged, when closed, to retard the velocity of air in the tube in rear of the same and to thereby accelerate the velocity of air through its branch to the tube and means for operating said valves, each comprising two cylinders of different diameters and pistons reciprocating therein and connected with the valve, said two pistons being each subjected at one side to the operating pressure of the system and at the other side thereof to atmospheric pressure, and

means operated by the opening of the gate for equalizing the pressure on both sides of the larger piston to permit the smaller piston to close said valve.

13. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a main tube and its sending branch or opening, of a valve for closing the tube in rear of said branch or opening and means for operating the valve comprising a cylinder communicating with the said tube, a piston in said cylinder connected with said valve, a second larger cylinder axially in line with the said first cylinder, and a piston reciprocating in the larger cylinder, connected with the piston of the smaller cylinder.

14. In a pneumatic despatch tube system, the combination with a main tube and its sending branch or opening, of a valve for closing the tube in rear of said branch or opening, and means for operating the valve compiisin g a cylinder communicating at one end with the tube and at its other end with the atmosphere, a piston in said cylinder connected with said valve, a larger cylinder axially in line with the said first cylinder, a

piston reciprocating in the larger cylinder, connected with the piston of the smaller cylinder, said larger cylinder communicating at one end with the atmosphere, an air pipe communicating at one end With the other end of said larger cylinder and at its other end with the air space and system, and means for breaking the communication between the latter end of said larger cylinder and the air space of the system to close the valve, the valve being opened when the pressure of the system is reestablished in said latter end of the larger cylinder.

15. in a pneumatic despatch tube system the combination With a main tube and its sending branch provided with a sending gate, of an air valve for closing thetube in. rear of said branch and means for actuating said valve comprising a cylinder communicating at one end with the said tube, and at its other end with the atmosphere, a piston in said cylinder connected with said air valve, a larger cylinder open at one end to the atmosphere and closed at its other end, a piston in said larger cylinder connected with the piston of the smaller cylinder, a pipe communicating at one end vith the closed end of said larger cylinder and at its other end with said sending branch, whereby when the sending gate is open atmospheric pressure is estab lished in the closed end of the cylinder to equalize the pressure on both sides of the larger piston, and the atmospheric pressure acts on the smaller cylinder to close the valve, said vaive being opened when the pressure of the system is reestablished in the closed end of the larger cylinder.

16. In a pneumatic despatch tube system the combination with a main tube and its sending branch or opening, of an air valve adapted to close the tube in rear of said branch or opening, balancing Wing connected to the valve, a chamber beneath said tube into which said balancing Wing swings as the air valve is swung upwardly in its closing position and bridge bars extending across the space above said Wing.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoin g as my invention I aiiiX my signature in the presence of iJW'O Witnesses, this 1st day 01" July A. D. 1908.

FRANKLIN H. VVOLEVEE.

Witnesses:

N. L. HALL, G. R. WILKINs. 

